here’s no doubt that the KTM 1090 Adventure R is a chunky bike, but it’s specifically designed for off-road action and eating up highway miles at a rapid pace. If you have the wanderlust and you see a big adventure in your future, keep reading.

Introduced in 2017, the KTM 1050cc twin has plenty of grunt, with 125 hp and a wet weight of just over 500 lbs. Off-road handling on fast fire roads is surprisingly good due to the front and rear WP suspension, and this bike can handle a lot of abuse. The suspension was custom-developed in the California desert by KTM’s R&D team based in Murrieta, California.

Personally, I try to avoid too much sand and single track, but that’s because I’m just an average guy in terms of skill level. Riders like KTM’s Quinn Cody, Mike Lafferty, and Chris Birch can really do amazing things on these machines, though. (Just do a Google search for “Chris Birch KTM.”)

KTM Powerparts has a wide range of accessories to kit out your ride too. Must-haves are the big skid plate, an electronic dongle that saves your favorite setting without having to reset them each time, and heated grips. I’ve also added some Mosko Moto bags, a Yoshimura exhaust, Dubya wheels, and an Upshift Camo graphics kit.